Catherine: You won't believe what Condé's done.Married the Queen of England by proxy.

Francis: If Elizabeth has a stronghold in France and Condé's claim to the throne, this may mean the end of our reign.

Akers: Every last document signifying your union has been destroyed.It seems that someone is out to erase all evidence of your wedding, Prince Condé.

opening Credits

Francis's office:

Renaude: My men have his description.We've blanketed the area, and moved out through the woods.Today's market day.We're questioning villagers, farmers.Anyone who seems to fit Condé's description, no matter their rank, is held till I can have a look at them.We'll find the traitor, my lord.

Francis: It's a pity we don't know who set that fire at Condé's townhouse.

Renaude: Clearly, whoever it was wished to erase his proxy wedding with Elizabeth.It would be useful to know who Condé's friends and enemies are.

Francis: Yes, it would.You're dismissed.

Renaude is leaving Mary and Francis alone.

Francis: When next we hear of him, Condé could be king consort of England.Condé and Elizabeth together holding a sword pointed directly at France.

Mary: He's not ambitious for power.Oh.He's just a man in over his head, his enemies everywhere.He's just looking for a way to survive this.I'm responsible for this mess.It isn't fair for me to even ask, but if we find Condé... let's allow him to leave the country.Banishment is enough.

Francis: You're very forgiving of a man who betrayed your heart.

Mary: Yes, he betrayed me. Do you think I don't feel that? I ask despite it... not out of love, but out of horror for what I have done to his life.

Francis: You had an affair and I allowed it.We all played our part, but Condé was the only one who wed this nation's enemy.Your enemy.He has committed treason, and the punishment for treason is death.

Mary: Please.

Francis leaves.

In a hallway:

Renaude: Lady Kenna.

Kenna: General Renaude.Here you are, again, in the flesh.

Renaude: Again?You seem startled to see me.

Kenna: No. Why would I be?You're a frequent visitor to court these days.King Francis must value your services greatly.

Renaude: It's a man's duty to try and raise his station... to better protect those he loves and offer them some... comforts in life.

Kenna: No, I find it refreshing for a man speak so frankly about ambition.

Renaude: Well, I'm always happy to know I've pleased a lady.

Claude's room:

(knocking)

Claude: Ah, Leith, you can help me.It's too lovely a day to stay in the castle, so I'm going to my hatmaker's to get my green bonnet trimmed with gold thread.Well, why are you standing there like a lump?Make ready a carriage.

Claude: Lyon is the lover who imbued me with the sophistication that I'm known for today.He was my mentor, and I his muse.Lyon and I, we are... kindred spirits.Twin souls.

Leith: Apparently, your mother doesn't approve of your twin soul.

Claude: She thinks he's a bad influence on me just because of that incident in Rome.Or maybe it was the party in Dijon.Which is ridiculous, because everybody found their clothes eventually, and the ambassador agreed not to mention it.

Leith: I don't know why she thinks you two should be kept apart.

claude: She can't do it, and neither can his family.His father tried to push him into a marriage, but he got out of it and came straight to me.He always said we'd set this country on fire together.Come on.Who's to see if you bring me to his door?I'll be so discreet.Can't you do this tiny favor for me?

Leith: One thing I will never do is risk getting on Catherine de Medici's bad side.

Claude: You'd rather get on my bad side?

Leith: (laughs): A million times, yes.

Greer's place:

A woman: There's some highborn widow here.Says she's looking for her nephew, to haul him back home.

Greer: Well, send her to me.

A woman: We can't have people walking through, disturbing the clientele.

Greer: Madam, I assure you, your neph...

Mary: I've missed you.I wasn't sure if you'd want to see me.

(both panting)

Catherine's place:

catherine: Oh...I keep thinking of our fugitive prince.

narcisse: How unflattering.If you are gonna bring another man into our bed, must it be Condé?

catherine: Well, he's a threat to my family as long as he lives.Renaude will find him.His men are turning over every blade of grass.

narcisse: But what if Mary interferes in that unexpected way that she has?

catherine: (sighs)You could help me here.Hmm?Well, perhaps Mary's confided in her ladies.You could speak with Lola, and see if you can find anything out.

narcisse: Why should she get such special consideration from a man known for his conquests?And why are we talking about Lola when I thought the subject was Condé?I... it isn't worth so much attention.She was a passing amusement.

catherine: Prove it.

narcisse: How, exactly, would I accomplish this?

catherine: Do something unforgivable.

Greer's place:

Greer: I understand you hear a lot of news in this place.Rumors, gossip.Of course.Men come in here, they drink, they boast to their friends, they boast to my girls.Sometimes there's truth under the boasting.

Mary: Then I beg of you, listen for me.Tell me if you hear anything of Condé or rumors of who might have set that fire.

Greer: Mary, of course I'll help you.Good heavens.I suppose this means my girls are working for the Queen of France.

Mary: I suppose it does.And I suppose the Queen of France should offer a retainer.

Cardinal's place:

cardinal: Ah, Leith.Back for another assignment?I appreciate the initiative.Leave us. And I want ermine trim!Don't try and pawn off cat's fur on me.

leith: Actually, I was wondering about the annulment that we spoke of.

cardinal: When might I expect that?My boy, annulments are not cheap.

leith: Yes, but I've done as you've asked.I've brought you money.A drop in the bucket, for an annulment.

cardinal: You have no idea the hands I have to grease, all the way up to the Pope!

leith: I see.And how many more... assignments must I perform before I've brought you enough money?

cardinal: If you continue to be as successful as you've begun, not long.Perhaps a few years.

leith: Must it take so long?

cardinal: There might be a way to make it quicker.

leith: Tell me.

cardinal: In the map room of the castle, there's a display of heirlooms, amongst which is a jeweled scabbard said to have belonged to Charlemagne.As an intimate of the place, you could slip in without any trouble.

leith: You want me to bring you the scabbard?

cardinal: (laughs): God's grace, no.Me, a receiver of stolen goods?( chuckles)Take it to a man who disposes of such things...I will give you his name... and when he pays you, bring me the money.Well?

In a hallaway:

Kenna: Not the most promising bunch of nobles here today.

Lola: Am I imagining it, or are men peering at me lately in the most unseemly way?

Kenna:! I thought General Renaude would have returned.He's an intriguing addition to court, don't you think?

Lola: Is that why you're wearing a new dress and your finest jewels?

Kenna: I've just been thinking about him constantly.I even had a dream about him.I don't know what to do about it.

lola: Well, what can you do?You're married.

kenna: Yes, but Bash believes, as the king's brother, he could be granted an annulment.We were wed under duress, we have no children.Really, the door is wide open for me to find another.

lola: Oh, Kenna, please give it careful thought.You don't have a lot of experience with this sort of thing.

kenna: With men?I believe I have sufficient experience, thank you.

lola: No, I mean, experience making your own choices.

Kenna: I make my own choices every day.

Lola: I don't mean the little things, like what dress to wear.But do you realize that every relationship you've had has been chosen for you? Henry essentially claimed you, your marriage to Bash was forced, Antoine set his sights on you.

Man Did you see her face?Or was it not her face you were looking at?(men laugh) (knocking on door)

Mary's room:

(knocking on door)

Man: This was left at the gate for you.

Francis: May I have a moment?

(door closes)

Francis: I've considered what you asked of me, to allow Condé to escape rather than execute him for treason.

Mary: Yes?

Francis: I've thought it over seriously, and I promise this has nothing to do with my feelings toward him.If the marriage didn't take, Condé could be running to Elizabeth to marry her right now.And I cannot allow a prince with a claim to the French throne go free and marry a powerful foreign monarch, let alone our enemy.I cannot allow him to live.You understand, don't you?This is a matter of this nation's security.

Mary: I understand your reasons.

Francis: I am sorry.Truly.What's that?

Mary: Nothing. Just an invitation.

(door opens, closes)

Mary opens a letter where it's written "Meet me".

Somewhere into the woods:

Mary: What have you done?

condé: I'm sorry.Sorry to my soul for the pain you must feel, but I swear I didn't do this to harm you.

mary: I know you felt forced to marry Elizabeth, but...

condé: But I'm not married.Every trace of proof is gone, and her envoy abandoned me.I'm just trying to escape, to survive, but the truth is there's no way out.Not when you've committed treason.My treason was in loving you.They would have killed me, Francis or someone close to him.They'd have found a way.

mary: Louis...

condé: It's over for me.That's why I risked coming to you, even if you had troops waiting.At least I could ask for your forgiveness before I died.To tell you that my heart is still yours, despite what I've done.

mary: No, you can't give up hope just yet.Can't you find refuge with your brother in Navarre?

condé: There's men looking all over the countryside for me.Francis will never let me get away.He won't even know you slipped through his fingers.

(sniffles)

Mary: Let me think.Listen, there is a tanner in the village, he provides clothing for the court servants.I know that he is taking a wagonload of skins to Lille to be made into coats.I can create safe-conduct papers that say that you are that tanner.They certainly wouldn't be expecting the prince of Condé to be hauling a load of animal skins.The men who are searching for you only have your description.You don't even have a portrait at court.But Renaude has seen you here.Your greatest risk will be running into him.Still, there are three checkpoints, and he can only be at one at a time.

condé:I'll have to take that chance.

mary: I'll leave the papers and instructions under these rocks.We can't risk meeting again.For the rest of our lives.I hope that yours is a long one.Go.(sniffles)Live.

In a hallway:

claude: I could pay you to bring me to Lyon.

leith: I'm sure you could; you're a princess.And you're a nobody.

claude: How much do nobodies make?I can top it.To make it worth my while?How about 50,000 livre?(chuckles)

leith: Is that all?

claude: Why not take my diamond earrings? They're worth 60.Seriously, what will it take?

leith: My lady, I would love to stay chatting with you all day, but I have other duties.Your mother's going out later, and she told me to ready the gold carriage and to make sure there is sufficient escorts for safety on the road.Majesty.

claude: My mother wouldn't step foot in the gold carriage.She knows the color reflects terribly on her skin.So I became curious as to what you were really up to.Stealing from my family.It's my duty to turn you in, you know.Maybe you'll just lose a hand.Though more likely, we being the royal family and all...... you'll be hanged.

leith: Claude, please.

claude: Or we could come to an understanding.Your new duties will include escorting me to town to see whomever I like and covering for me with my mother.

Narcisse place:

lola: A sketch of me in the bath, naked, graphically detailed.I don't know which is more disturbing, the fact that you created it or the fact that you allowed it into the hands of other nobles.

narcisse: The likeness is impressive.

lola: Oh, stop admiring your own work.Did you really think I'd forget that I took a bath in front of you?

narcisse: Well, that depends.I don't know who else you've bathed in front of.Am I the only one, for example, who knows that you have a charming little mole just here?Ugh.Very well, yes.I made the sketch.For my private edification.But then I made a large wager with Lord Travers.He bet that his paramour was the most beautiful woman in court.I felt otherwise, so offered your picture for the various nobles to vote on the question.Sadly, though your beauty is sublime, I lost the bet.

lola: You do realize that all the men at court now believe I shared your bed.

narcisse: Mm.All we did was talk.You were naked at the time, but, uh, I do see your point.

lola: You told me to protect my reputation, and now you've hurled it in the mud.You said you cared about me, and now you...

narcisse! I say a great many things.The mistake was yours in trusting me.

lola: Why are you doing this?You're not the kind of person to hurt someone just for money.

narcisse: I took advantage of the sufferings of others to build my holdings.I blackmailed the king, I threatened the safety of everyone he loved, including you.A few people, I had kidnapped.

lola: You have shown me that there is another side to you.

narcisse: Which gave you the assurance you needed to take a bath in front of me, revealing all the sides there are to you.Do you think, because we shared a few nice moments, that you saw some good in me that no one else had ever seen before?

lola: I can see quite clearly the man before me now.

Somewhere into the woods:

A man: I'm taking these skins to the tannery at Lille.

Renaude: I hope you understand, my lord.My men have orders to hold anyone who seems to fit the description.

A man: I hardly think your fugitive, whoever he is, resembles a man of noble blood.

condé: King Francis will hear of this.

A man: Be on the way to your tannery, then.

Renaude sees a man.

Renaude: You're the first tanner I've ever met who didn't have stained hands.Prince Louis of Condé.

Lyon's room:

Claude: Wait out here.Try not to steal anything.

(both chuckle)

Lyon: At last you're here.(both laugh)

Mary's room; Francis is on his way to talk to Mary:

Francis: I'm going to tell Mary that Condé has been captured.

catherine: And that you've given your approval for his immediate execution?

Francis: Yes. I'd rather she heard it from me.

catherine: (sighs) I understand that you want to be gentle in delivering the news, but it won't matter.There is no way to lessen this blow.

(Mary sobbing)

catherine: Aren't you going to tell her?

Francis: She already knows.

Lyon's place:

claude: I've missed you.

lyon: And I you.

claude: We have so much catching up to do.Tomorrow, I'll have my man Leith take us to a place I know that's perfect for ice-skating.Then when we finish, I'll let you warm me up in the carriage.

lyon: Wouldn't I love that?But I'm only passing through.I have an engagement in Paris.

claude: Cancel it.

lyon: I can't.

claude: Well, how soon will you be back?I wanted you here to help welcome Mother.I know we can win her approval.

lyon: Approval for what?

claude: To be together, of course.I can't wait to get you out of this dreary inn and into a suite at court.Near mine.It'll be wonderful.The truth is I haven't got a lot of friends at the castle.It's lonely.

lyon: My Claude... (chuckles) lonely?I am sure you have a horde of gentlemen following you about.And I'd love to be one of them, if I had more time.I should be on my way if I want to ride out before nightfall.

Somewhere into the woods:

condé: Have you come to kill me?

Men are taking condé outside and free him.

condé: Lord Akers?

akers: Elizabeth sent us to look out for you.

Man: My lord, the French!(horses neighing)

akers: Mount up! Away!Walk the horses.It'll make less noise.We'll take him to the safe house.

akers: When I crossed the Channel, I found Her Majesty waiting at Dover to escort her new husband and give you good inspection, I have no doubt.When I told her of the fire, she sent me back on the very same ship.We've had men watching at every checkpoint for you.

condé: You mean she still wants the marriage?

akers: She needs to marry even more.By murdering the proxy, Elizabeth's enemies in England have shown their boldness.They're trying to tumble her from the throne.She needs to secure her position.

condé: Then why is she still interested in wedding a mere prince?

akers: She's not.No more dukes and princes for her.She's determined to wed a king.I see.Someone who can join his kingdom and power to hers, the perfect strategy.

condé: Yes.

akers: So I've been sent to inform you that Her Majesty still rejoices in the idea of marrying you, and she's ready to give you her backing, if you take the throne of France.

Claude's room:

leith: Princess.

claude: Did I say you could leave?

leith: It's late; my shift is over.I'll see you tomorrow.

claude: But I need you tonight.Your first duty is to me, remember?Right now, I'm hungry.Bring me a bottle of Bordeaux and bread with fresh butter, and wait in case I require anything else.

leith: The servants can help you.I have somewhere to be.

claude: Where?What could possibly be more important than your duty to me?It's her, isn't it?Your madam girlfriend.

leith: I was planning on seeing her, yes.

claude: You just can't stand to be away from her, can you?It's been all of ten hours, and you have to get back to her side.

leith: I like being with her, that's all.

claude: Clearly you're not up to handling both the needs of your personal life and my demands.She's distracting you.I won't stand for it.

leith: What do you mean?

claude: End your relationship with that woman.

leith: Do you have to hurt everyone else because you're hurting?Must we all be as miserable as you?

claude: Yes! And I'm a princess, while you're nothing more than a thief whose life I now control.Do as I say.Break things off with her.No.

leith: I love Greer.

claude: Love?Love is just a word men use to enchant women.It's a game.

leith: A game?

claude: A game is you telling me to break a woman's heart simply because you're feeling out of sorts.

leith: Why do you think I tried to take that scabbard?To buy her an annulment so that we could be married.Only, it cost a fortune, more than I'll ever have.But I will do whatever it takes to hold her in my arms and call her my wife.I know you've had a disappointment.But you're so young.Think of all the time you have to meet your true love.And when you do, be careful of your temper.It's so easy to drive love away.

claude: Lectures bore me.Here.Take care of your personal problems; I'm tired of all of this.I don't want to hear her name mentioned again.

leith: Thank you.

Narcisse'sroom:

catherine! I hear you are quite the artist.

narcisse: Lola will never speak to me again.Good.I'm sorry, my dear, but you needed to be tested.

catherine: As Queen Mother, I'm privy to very sensitive information, state secrets that could jeopardize the safety of France.To be in my inner circle, I need to be able to trust you.Now I know I can.

narcisse: Should I pretend to believe all that nonsense?You needed to do this because your husband bedded every woman he liked throughout your marriage, and you came out of it believing that you were unlovable, so you used power to make me true.

catherine: Don't flatter yourself.It's not your love that I seek, but your allegiance.

narcisse: You have that.But, as a friend, I warn you, beware.

catherine: (chuckles) Of you?

narcisse: Of yourself.Don't be the first to destroy something just because you don't trust that it's real.Give up this idea that nobody can know you and still love you.

Somewhere into the woods:

akers: I see you're leaving us.

condé: I'm sorry, and thank you for your help, but this... this is madness.

akers: When Francis dies, your claim to the throne will make you far more attractive than Charles.Having a mere boy as king will make France seem vulnerable.Even many Catholics despise the idea of Catherine de Medici as regent.Not to mention, you have your own army to back your claim.In Condé.We can arrange to bring your men to you.Add to that the might and power of England at your back.This is how dynasties are born, by taking what someone else has when that person is at their weakest, as Francis is now.The Bourbon dynasty.But if you believe you are better off running away, then good luck to you.

Throne's room:

Francis: You captured him, and then you lost him.Did it occur to you to leave him under guard?

renaude: I did, my lord.You gave me no warning that he might have outside help.My men at the checkpoint were massacred.But he had help even before that, my lord.He had official papers, an identity to step into.

Francis: French papers?

renaude: Yes, Your Majesty.

Francis: You may go.

Francis: After all of this, could Mary still be helping him?

catherine: Yes.Out of guilt or affection, even though he's lost to her.

Francis: Has she no idea what she risks?!

Catherine: Your forgiveness, your protection, your mercy... forever.

In a hallway:

kenna: General, it bodes well for you that you're having an audience with our king again so soon.

renaude: In fact, His Majesty wasn't too pleased today.We suffered a setback he did not appreciate.

kenna: You don't seem too concerned by the king's displeasure with you.

renaude: Well, with the state of France as it is, the king needs me around now more than I need him.

kenna: General, would you like to escort me on a walk through the garden?A little brisk air would be refreshing.

renaude: I'm afraid I must prepare for my departure tomorrow.We're expanding the search for the fugitive, and I'll be making a trip to Amiens, as well, to meet a potential bride.

kenna: A... a bride?To marry?

renaude: Her father only recently contacted me wishing to arrange a marriage contract, but I insisted on an introduction first.

kenna: Of course.You want to make sure this bride suits you.

renaude: It's for her sake, as well.A father may bestow his daughter as he chooses, but I would never wed unless I heard from a woman's own lips that she desired me.

kenna: Excuse me.

renaude: I should go.Prepare for the journey.

Throne's room:

Francis: How could you do it?Do you deny helping Condé behind my back?

Mary: No.

Francis: Mary, I...Where is he now?Now?

mary: What do you mean?He was captured by General Renaude's men.

francis: He was rescued.

mary: I didn't know.

francis: Do you realize that by helping Condé escape, Elizabeth could have a foothold in France?

mary: And she could not.

francis: These are all abstract future possibilities.A man's life was at stake.

mary: No.

francis: A lot of lives.Condé's army is loyal to him personally.If he becomes king consort of England, we will essentially have an enemy army on our soil.Mary, this is the most dangerous thing you have ever done.Do you really love him that much?I thought that this was about your healing, but now you've done what a queen must never do, you've put the personal above the political, his safety above the nation's.

mary: Whatever happens to him, it's over.I will never see him again.

francis: You say that as if somehow I've won.But how can it be over when he's so ingrained in your heart?You will always see him just as I will always see you: naked in each other's arms.

Greer's place:

Greer: Ooh! (Laughs)It's good to see you, too.

leith: I got you something.(giggles)

Greer: Leith, that's a fortune.

leith: That's your annulment.Now we can pay for it.

greer: It's unbelievable.

leith! Greer...... will you be my wife?

greer: Uh... if...If we get married, what will our lives be?

leith: What we've dreamed of.We can get a little house in town, we can start a family.I have a reasonable salary at court, and in time I'll get a better appointment and then...

greer: What if you... don't?What if you lose the post you have now?That's not likely...Look at how quickly your manor house was taken away.How quickly I was thrown out of the castle when it was politically expedient.We need more.You want to keep the brothel.

leith: Greer, you don't have to.I swear that I will protect and support you for the rest of my life.

greer: What if you can't?This brothel is independence.Income.And that is safety in a very unsafe world.What if we take this money and invest it in the business?If there's one thing you can count on, year after year, it's that men want s*x and they'll pay for it.

leith: I thought we could count on our love for one another.That's what I've always believed, but you... never have, have you?You're a fearful person, Greer.

greer: I've made something of myself.It has taken courage and fight...

leith: But you won't risk fighting for us!Believing that we can battle whatever comes our way.I've lost too many battles.I've lost everything!And now I want to hold on to something that no one can take away.

leith: You can't be a married woman, a mother and a madam.What kind of life is that for our children?

greer: Please don't ask me to choose.

leith: I am.Between this life and one with me.Between respectability, a family, a man who loves you

greer: I can't give this up.I won't.

leith: Then you're giving up me.You do realize that?Say you'll marry me, or we are over.

Greer: I can't.I'm so sorry.

Renaude's room:

renaude: Lady Kenna.

kenna: I know what I want.I think we'd be good together, perhaps have a future.

renaude: This is sudden.

kenna: Not really. You've been flirting with me since the day we met.You should know that if I choose to be with you, there are things in my past that I can't change.You'll have to accept them.If you prefer a demure flower or a virginal maid, you're free to sign a marriage contract to wed a noble's daughter whom you've never met.

renaude: Kenna, I agree.We may have a promising future.

kenna: Then let's see if we're good together.

renaude: Is this a test?

kenna: Impress me.

Mary's balcony:

bash: I spoke with Francis.I'm sorry, for what you're both going through.Now that things are over between you and Condé, you and Francis might...What I mean is, you're both in pain.You might at least look to comfort from each other.

Mary: I don't think that's likely right now.The truth is, I... helped Condé try to get away.Francis thinks I made that choice out of love, that I rejected him.He doesn't understand how I could feel so responsible for Condé's suffering.

bash: You mean that you encouraged the love of a man below you in rank?

mary: Because he found himself drawn into political intrigues he knew nothing about, with enemies he'd never had before?

bash: Because he found himself doing things he'd never contemplated, getting in deeper and deeper.

mary: Oh, God, Bash.

bash: Yes.I walked this road first.

mary: It's not just Condé.It's not one affair gone wrong.It's me.The Queen of France.This will happen any time I look for love or happiness.I'll condemn any man who brings it to me.Only a king could survive my love, and no one below.My rank is poison.

bash: I'm sorry.(sighs)Brave Mary, I'm sorry.

Somewhere in a house:

condé: How many showed up?

akers: Enough.Lords with holdings all over France.Protestants, ready to listen to you.

condé: You seem to have a lot of faith they'll follow me after they listen.

akers: You've been spending most of your time at court.I don't think you're aware of how unhappy your brethren are.

Throne's room:

Mary: Francis.I know I have hurt you.We have hurt each other.But there is something I've learned, and that is we must put this behind us.We are king and queen, chained together as surely as prisoners in a dungeon.And if we are not to suffer as prisoners do, we must make peace with each other.

Francis: It's our only chance of survival in this life without going mad with grief.

Mary: Do you think you could ever forgive me?Please, if you are angry, say something!

Francis: Oh, you ask for forgiveness.How can I even consider it when Condé is still out there, most likely with agents of Elizabeth?

Somewhere in a house:

A man: France has been through so much.Most of this country is like dry tinder, just waiting for a spark.

Laurent: Prince Condé!No longer Prince of Condé!King Louis of France!

(men cheering)

Francis: All that is needed is a face, a claim, a bloodline, and someone who is willing to die for the cause.